Theater structure



1am., Z., E925 C. IE. FOWLER THEATER STRUCTURE Filed April '11, w25

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2 Sheets-Sheet 1 columns, or roof trusses.

Patented Jan. 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.I

CHARLES EYAN FOWLER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNO'R T0 FOWLER ENGINEER- ING CORPORATION, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.,'A CORPORATION 0F NEVADA.

THEATER STRUCTURE.

Application lled April 11, 1923. Serial No. 631,426.v

To all 'whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES EVAN Fow- LER, a citizen of the United kStates of America, at present residing in Detroit, in the county of lVayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Theater Structure, et which the following is a description..

invention relates to theaters and more particularly to a theater for motion pictures. The usual type of theater construction for motion pictures is objectionable because it makes it necessary that too many people sit close to the screen for which reason and for the further reason that the peo le coming and going constantly interrupt t e view of those in front of them, the result is produced of seriously impaired eyesight in the patrons of such theaters, the lmpairment being in the direction of a complete loss of eyesight.

The general object ot' my invention is to provide a theater structure in which the cause of producing impaired eyesight in the patrons will be eliminated, or at all events, minimized..

A further object of the invention is to provide a theater structure retlectin practical considerations with respect to t e conrenient seating and emptying of the house or sections thereof.

The nature of the `invention and its characteristic features and advantages will clearl appear as the description proceeds.

Re erence is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of one example of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan View of a theater structure embodying my invention, parts being broken away;

Figure 2 1s a longitudinal vertical section in a plane indicated by the 1ine2-2 in Fi ure 1. v

carrying out my invention in accordance with the illustrated example I provide within the theater a series of oblique truss beams 10 extending from the orchestra floor upwardly and forwardlv toward the front wall A of the structure. Any suitable support may be provided for the upper end of the beam 10 either in the way of walls, Intermediate the ends of the truss beams 10 each has support on columns 110 in the illustrated example.

Beneath the trusses between the same and the front of the theater are landings 1l. Connecting several' of the lower landings with one another any suitable means may befprovided in the way of ramps, elevators,

or stairways, there being indicated in the present example stairs 12. Those of the landings 11 nearest the top are advantageously connected b a line of stairs 13 adj acent the front waliI to economize space as the s ace between the front wall and the truss eams 10 decreases.

In the illustrated plan the numeral 14 indicates the orchestra which may have orchestra chairs. 15 indicates the orchestra enclosure; 16, the sta e; 18, the screen which is at the extreme baci of the theater, therefore at the rear -of the stage; and 17 indicates the proscenium arch which in carrying out my invention is made much higher than the usual proscenium arch.

In accordance ,with my invention I provide a series of balconies 19 one abo-ve anotherand set back in cascade or stepped form so that the front portion of one balcony will be visible from the balconies above. By reason of the increased height of the proscenium arch 17 the com lete visibility of the screen 18 is provided or, even from the uppermost balcony which may thus be dis osed at a higher elevation than is usual wit balconies.

Upper balconies 19 are disposed at a slight angle the angle vdecreasing to thelowermost one or two which may be disposed horizontall or approximately so.

-Each balcony is disposed elevated above that landing 11 from which said balcony is reached. The balconies are sustained by props 2O rising from the rear portion of one alcony at the juncture of the balcony with the trusses 10, said props being secured to the next balcon above between the front and rear of the atter balcony.

To reach a balcony from a landing below a series of stairs 21 is provided, there being a plurality of such stairs from each landing leading'to each balcony at aisles 22 of which there are a plurality in each balcony.

The aisles 22 of a balcony in practice divide the balcony into sections and each section may have seats 23 accommodating four persons, that is, between two adjacent aisles so that two persons may be sea-ted in said sca-ts 23 from each of two adjacent aisles,

or not at all with the view of those seated behind in the same section.

, theater of a given size.

, minor trian lar ormation is )reduced by The described arrangement permits of seatin the patrons in units corres ending with t e respective sections in a. ba cony so that the different sections of the balcony may be sold one after the other whereby the patrons in each section of a given balcony would leave the theater at the same time and thereby making it possible by rota-tion of ticket sales to reduce or entirely prevent any interference at all with others viewing the picture, such interference characterizing the resent theater arrangement and being ighl objectionable. Other seating plans ma? e adopted.

he structure described is very advantageous in providing a greatl increased seating capacity over the usua motion picture The arrangement also is advantageous in that enough people will be in view on each balcony to measurably attain the desirable psychological effect of having many people in view at one time. The greatest merit however, of the arrangement described is that a seating capacity for a large audience is' provided without any of the :audience being seated so close to the screen as to have their eyesight injuriously affected'and this pur ose is attained by a structure charactenze by strength and simplicity.

It will be observed that the described construction provides trusses in a lane tran-- secting the orchestra floor and ob ique to the front wall; that the trusses are common to all the balconies, that the aisles of the or-- chestra and the aisles of the respective balconies are disposed between said trusses. The individual stairs 21 leading from the landings to the balconies above the respective landings are independent of the stairs 12 or equivalent means establishing communication l'ietween the respective landings.

It is further to be noted as important that a triangular structure results from the use of the oblique beams which it will be observed form with. the foundation and the front WallA a ri id triangle and a second the oblique cams, the supportlng columns, 110, 'and the under structure on which said columns have base support.

I would state in conclusion that whilev the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since, manifestly, the same' can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: A

1. In a theater structure, a series of balconies one above another and successivel set back from the lowcrmost one upward a series of su porting beams beneath said lconies,sai beams rising obliquely at an angle to the front of the structure, a series of landings one above another beneath said beams between the same and the front of the structure, means establishin communication between the respective lan ings, and stairs at the landin s, said stairs rising from the landings to t e respective balconies above.

2. In a theater structure, a series of bal conies one above lanother and successively set back from the lowcrmost one upwardly, a

series of supporting beams beneath said balconies, said means being in the form et` trusses and rising obliquely at an angle to the front of the structure, the beams termi nating at the top adj accnt the juncture of the front wall and roof of the structure, a series of landings one above another beneath said beams between the same and the front of the structure, means establishing communication between the respective landings, and stairs at the landings, said stairs rising from the landings to the respective balconies above at the respective aisles of said balconies.

3. In a theater structure, a. series of: balconies one above another and set back successively from the lowcrmost one upwardly one overlying the other, and a .series of su porting beams, beneath fandcommon to t e several balconies, said beams rising obliquely from below the balconies toward the front wall of the structure and dis )osed in the rear of the balconies, said balconies being thus disposed rojecting forwardly from the plane of the eams to lie forward of the beams. View 4. In a theater structure, a series of balconies one above another and set back successively from the lowcrmost one upwardly one overlying the other, and a series of supportin beams beneath and common to the severa balconies, said. beams rising obliquely from below the balconies toward the front wall of the structure; to ether with means between the beams aii'or ing access to the balconies.

5. In a theater structure, a series of balconies one above another and set back successively from the lowcrmost one upwardly one overl ing the other, and a series of supporting beams disposed obli uely beneath and common to the several alconies, the upper ends of the beams having su port adjacent to the top of the front wa l, a. proscenium arch, and a screen disposed at the back of the theater in the rear of said arch and visible from all of said balconies.

6. In a theater structure, a series of balconies one above another and successively set back from the lowcrmost one upwardl a series of sup orting beams beneath said balconies, said geams rising obliquely at an angle to the front of the structure, a series .of landings one above another beneath said beams 'between the same and the front of balconies, said beams rising obliquely at an angle to the front of the structure, a series of landings one above another beneath said beams between the same and the front of the structure, means establishing communication between the respective landin s, and stairs at the landings, said stairs ad itional to and indepedent of said means establishing communication between the respective landings, said stairs furthermore rising from the landings to the respective balconies immediately above the respective landine's.

l. In a theater structure, a series of half conies one above another and set back successively from the lowermost one upwardly, and a series of beams common to the several balconies, said beams extending obliquely upward from the plane of and transectin the orchestra floor toward the front wal of the'v structure, the orchestra floor and the several balconies having aisles between said beams; together with means between the beams for reaching the several balconies.

9. In a theater structure, a series of balconies one above another and set back successively from the lowermost one upwardly, and a series of beams common to the several balconiesand disposed in a plane oblique to the planes of the balconies and oblique to a vertical plane; together with means constituting the support for said beams and completing with said beams a rigid fundamental triangular formation vcarrying to the ground and disposed at the back of the eams.

10. In a theater structure, a series of balconies and a series of beams common to the several balconies and affording support therefor; together with means forming with said oblique beams a rigid fundamental triangular formation carrying tothe ground and disposed at the back ofthe beams.

11. In a theater structure, a series of balconies oneabove another and setback successively from the lowermost one upwardly to overlie one another, a series of beams oblique to a vertical plane and transecting the planes of the several balconies and means coordinating the balconies with the beams and` supporting the balconies in rigid relation to one another and to the beams, said means affording support for said balconies from said oblique beams.

12. In a theater structure, a series of balconies one above another and overlying one another, a series of beams oblique to a vertical plane and transecting the planes of the several balconies, and means coordinating the .balconies with the beams and affording sup ort for said' balconies vfrom said' oblique eams in rigid relation to one another and to said beams.

13. .In a theater structure, a series of balconies one above another to overlie one another, a series of beams oblique to a vertical plane and transecting the planes of the severalvbalconies, and means coordinating the balconies with the beams and affording support orsaid balconies from said oblique beams in rigid relation to one another and to the beams; said balconies having aisles running in planes alternating with the vertical planes o the oblique beams, and transversely disposed seats extending from one aisle to an adjacent aisle and across the vertical planes of the beams.

CHARLES EVAN FOWLER. 

